


Expecting

by Catclaw



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-10-23
Updated: 2004-10-23
Packaged: 2017-12-08 21:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/765976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catclaw/pseuds/Catclaw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his sense of taste and smell become more enhanced than normal, Jim overhears a conversation that will change his and Blair's lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Expecting

He walked along the beach; the sun beating down warmed his back, the sounds of the waves filled his ears and the feel of sand between his toes irritated the crap out of him. It was their anniversary and Jim had taken Blair to Costa del Sol in the south of Spain. He smiled as he watched his husband basking in the sun just ahead of him.

He walked up to the top of the beach and sat on a wall in front of a statue with a giant Peseta commemorating the history of Spain. The smell of grilling sardines and garlic coming from a boat some two miles along the beach assaulted his sense of smell. He frowned; he’d dialled his senses right down and he could still smell it. Mind you, his sense of smell had been even more sensitive recently, as had his sense of taste.

It had been like that for a few months, just after he and Blair had had a particularly vivid shared dream where they had joined in a tribal ceremony as Sentinel and Guide had many years ago. They had put it down to another weird Sentinel thing, harmless really, but now Jim wondered if it had done something.

His ever-perceptive Guide soon noticed that something was wrong and made his way over to Jim.  
“Hey Big Guy, what’s wrong?”  
“Nothing. I’m just thinking about that dream.” Blair, however, was unconvinced by his nonchalant tone and remained unmoved. Jim smiled and gently kissed him, ignoring the shocked gasps from around them, perhaps Spain – a very religious country – was not the best choice of destinations.

“Since the dream, my senses of taste and smell have been even more hyperactive than normal. Even with them dialled right down I can still tell that on that boat out there,” Jim pointed out over the sea to where Blair could just make out the outline of a rowing boat, “they are eating grapefruit.”

Blair’s eyes widened in surprise,  
“You’re definitely sure that the smell is coming from the boat and not from somewhere on the beach?”  
“I’m positive.” Blair started to slowly pace back and forth in front of Jim as he mulled over possible theories as to why Jim’s senses were playing up and as to how the dream was connected.

****

They stayed on the beach all day, swimming when the tide was high enough before sitting on the sand and enjoying what was left of the remaining light.

****

Jim was sitting in the bar of the hotel, listening to the conversations around him, while he waited for his Guide. He found himself listening with growing interest to the two women on the far side of the room.  
“So, when are they due?”  
“In about six months.”  
“How does it feel?”  
“Well, knowing that I’m going to be a single mother is kinda scary. When you had your boy did your sense of taste and smell increase too?”  
“Yeah, my doctor told me that it’s a pretty regular occurrence, nothing to worry about.”

Oh shit, could that mean what he thought it did?  
“So who’re you eavesdropping on this time?” Blair’s amused voiced asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. Jim smiled sheepishly before telling him about the conversation he had overheard and what he thought that it could mean.  
“Well it would explain a few things and how the dream could be related.” Blair mused, “but is it even possible?”  
“Well, when we get back to Cascade we’ll get it checked out. But for now, let’s just enjoy the rest of our holiday.” Blair opened his mouth as if to protest, but Jim silenced him with a glare.

****

The rest of the holiday passed without incident or any mention of pregnancy. However the moment they were settled in Cascade Blair made the hospital appointment.

It was the night before the appointment and they lay in bed gently holding each other in the afterglow when Jim finally voiced his worries.  
“What if I am pregnant Chief?”  
“Then we consider our options. I love you and that won’t change no matter what you chose to do.” Jim frowned, as he thought about some of the options available. Blair caught the expression and smiled at him. “Nothing that you don’t want to do.” He inclined his head and studied Jim.  
“And if we keep the child?” He knew that he shouldn’t be thinking like this, just in case it turned out he wasn’t pregnant, but the truth was the more he thought about it, the more he wanted Blair’s child.

“Then we’ll love it and raise it.” Blair smiled slightly sadly, not voicing the fact that the child would probably be subjected to ridicule and prejudice because it was the result of love between two men.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms and unconsciously both Sentinel and Guide placed their hands over what was possibly their unborn child.

****

They sat nervously next to each other awaiting the results of the test. Most people hated the smell of hospitals and Jim was no exception, but if he thought the smell had been bad before to his uber-sensitive nose it was now almost unbearable.  
“Mr Sandburg-Ellison.” The stood up and together walked into the room where the doctor was waiting.

The result of the test was clear by just taking one look at the shocked expression on the doctor’s face.  
“If you don’t mind sir, I’d like to make one last test.” He said motioning for Jim to lie down and reaching for the ultra-sound equipment. The eyes of all three men focused on the screen before them, where the tiny shape of a foetus was clearly visible.

“Let me congratulate you on being the first man to ever get pregnant. And by the looks of things you have been for about three months.” Jim frowned; surely he should have been able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Then again, Blair’s heart was his grounding sound, so maybe he had been hearing it but not noticing. He closed his eyes and filtered out the noises from all around him and there it was, the rhythmic beat of a tiny heart.

****

It was about a month later and they were sitting in bed, Blair softly leaning against Jim’s gently swelling stomach when they first felt their baby move.  
“I don’t think our kid appreciates you leaning on it like that,” Jim chuckled after the child kicked against the weight squashing it.  
“No.” Blair agreed smiling before kissing first Jim and then the bump that was their child.

After five months the pregnancy was really starting show and Jim was nervous about going into work, so far they had only told Simon, and after getting over his shock (and Blair had to admit, it was scary to see Simon be that quiet) he had confined Jim to desk work only. But when you worked in a building of detectives, there wasn’t much you could keep a secret for long.

When they found out the detectives in Major Crimes were justifiably surprised but open and supportive, pleased that their friends were finding some happiness. Generally, however, the rest of the precinct were considerably less supportive and on more than one occasion Blair or Simon had to stop Jim from hitting some of the people that he overheard.

As the due date drew nearer and nearer they began to consider names, Blair, ever the anthropologist suggested several exotic names, while Jim stuck to the more traditional. In the end a compromise was reached: Halla (which was African for ‘unexpected gift’) Rose Sandburg-Ellison for a girl and Daniel Aahmes (the Egyptian for ‘child of the moon’) Sandburg-Ellison for a boy.

****

“Stay with me?” Jim begged as they took him into the operating theatre.  
“Of course.” Blair replied, shocked that Jim thought that he would leave him to do this on his own. Blair got scrubbed up with the doctors and went and stood by Jim’s head, gently running his fingers through Jim’s hair.

They had told the doctors that they couldn’t use any form of medication, as they didn’t know what it would do to Jim, both remembering the last time Jim had used different medication and had ended up underneath a train.

“Concentrate on the feeling of my hand,” Blair whispered, “zone. I’ll be here to bring you out.” He hoped that by getting Jim to completely focus on something else it would stop him feeling most of the pain of the caesarean.

Sighing contentedly, Jim let the pleasure of Blair’s fingertips wash over him completely and the next thing he knew, Blair was gently coaxing him out of the zone, a tiny pink bundle within his arms. Smiling at his husband Jim welcomed Halla Rose into the world.

_Epilogue_

“Mum?” Halla asked, enjoying the look of irritation that flickered over Jim’s features and Blair hid his face, knowing he was going to pay for suggesting that she call Jim that and looking forward to every moment of it.

Halla Rose Sandburg-Ellison had developed into a stunning young woman, with a gentle soul that took crap from no one. She had Jim’s eyes but Blair’s full lips and riotous hair.  
“Yes dear?”  
“I have a problem.”

The moment she said that she had both of her fathers’ complete attention. “I was in class the other day and suddenly everything was too bright and loud and I couldn’t focus.” Jim and Blair exchanged a glance and groaned. But they knew that everything would be okay and they’d teach her together and hope that one day she found her Guide and a love like that which they shared.


End file.
